New military-themed museum opens to visitors in Hanoi

The Museum of General Nguyen Chi Thanh opened its doors for the first time in Hanoi today (July 6), marking the 56th anniversary of the general's death.

The bronze statue of two great generals of Vietnam during the American War (1954-1975): Vo Nguyen Giap (left) and Nguyen Chi Thanh (right) are on display at the General Nguyen Chi Thanh Museum in Hanoi. Photo: VOV

General Nguyen Chi Thanh (1914-1967) is considered an excellent disciple of President Ho Chi Minh, who was closely associated with Vietnam's victories during the struggle against France and the early years of the war against the United States.

Valuable documents on the Vietnamese People's Army

General Nguyen Chi Thanh Museum is a non-public museum owned by the family of the late General, located at 81 Tan Nhue Street, Thuy Phuong Ward, Bac Tu Liem District, Hanoi.

The museum is open every week from Tuesday to Sunday from 8:30am to 11:30am and from 2pm to 5pm.

According to Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, former Deputy Minister of National Defense of Vietnam, son of Great General Thanh, work on the museum started in October 2021 and was completed in June 2022.

The museum replicates the house at 34 Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, where the general and his family lived from 1955 to 1986.

President Ho Chi Minh visited Nguyen Chi Thanh's family many times during his lifetime. It was here that the important Politburo meeting was held on August 6, 1964 to discuss the liberation of the South to unify the country.

Nguyen Chi Thanh (right) and Vo Nguyen Giap (left) discuss the situation on the battlefield in the South (July 5, 1967). File Photo

The museum displays over 300 photos, 220 artifacts, over 150 paper documents, and 23 bronze statues, divided into eight thematic areas related to important milestones in General Thanh's revolutionary activities and the early days of the Vietnam People's Army.

In addition, the museum also has two rooms reproducing Nguyen Chi Thanh's workplace at No. 34 Ly Nam De Street and the Central Committee for South Vietnam (during the American War) at Tan Lap Commune, Tan Bien District, Tay Ninh Province.

There are also more than 100 books and a huge system of documentaries on the life and career of General Nguyen Chi Thanh.

A talented general of the Vietnam People’s Army

The archival photos with English captions are available at the museum. Photo: VOV

General Nguyen Chi Thanh was born on January 1, 1914 in Quang Dien District, Thua Thien-Hue Province.
He joined the Indochinese Communist Party at the age of 20. He held many important positions in the Party, State and Army, including Chief of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnamese People's Army and head of the Agriculture Commission of the Party Central Committee.

Today, the busiest and most developed street in Hanoi's Dong Da District bears his name.

In 1964, General Nguyen Chi Thanh was chosen by Uncle Ho to be the Politburo's representative in the South, charged with leading the Vietnamese revolution against the American Army, its allies, and the Saigon government.

The general analyzed the position of both sides, compared their strengths and tactics, and pointed out the advantages of the Vietnamese army by outlining appropriate strategies when the United States sent more troops to Vietnam. He was able to inspire confidence in the army, which led to glorious victories for the Vietnamese armed forces.

General Nguyen Chi Thanh worked in the fields with farmers. File photo

"At that time, there was a desk in my father's office, and behind it was a map of the military layout of the Vietnamese army," Lt. Gen. Vinh, Nguyen Chi Thanh's son, told the local press.

"It was around 1960-1961, when my father was the head of the Rural Affairs Department.

For years, in addition to writing on his desk, he spent most of the day standing in front of a large map on the wall, thinking about how to liberate the southern part of the country," he recalled.

But on July 6, 1967, just hours before his last trip to Saigon to prepare for the Mau Than 1968 general offensive, General Thanh died of a stroke.

As an outstanding commander, his death was considered a great loss to the Vietnamese revolutionary forces.

During his more than 30-year revolutionary career, he was a model for fighting selfishness, corruption, and wastefulness and a pioneer in following the moral example of President Ho Chi Minh.

Although he was a four-star General, Nguyen Chi Thanh (right) lives a simple life. File Photo